Coin controlled mechanism



Oct. 16, 1945.

- H. L. NEI-:R E'r-Al. 2,386,974

COIN CONTROLLED MECHANISM Original Filed Aug. 6, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 16? 1945. H NEER ETAL 2,386,974

` C OIN, CONTROLLED MECHANISM v Original Filed Aug. 6, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Qct. 16, 1945 UNITED, STAT COIN CONTROLLED MECHANISM Harry L. Neer, Beech. Grove', and Cliord HL Wasson, Indianapolis, Ind., and Raymond L.'Neer, Jacksonville, Fla., assignors to Nik-O-Lok Company, lndianapolial Ind., a

ana

corporation of Indi- Original application August 6, 1941, Seriall No.

405,584, now' Patent No. 2,370,370, dated 'Febmary 27, 111945'. vrDivided and this application March'25,'1943,-SerialNo. 480,444

f ',1'1 claims. lol'. 19a-97) This is a division of our co-pending application. Serial Number 405,584, now Patent No. 2,370,370y granted Feb. 27, 1945. Y. The present invention` relates to a coin controlled mechanism; and, while the disclosed mechanism, or parts thereof, may' be utilizedJin other connections, the invention will be particularly described in connection with coin controlled locks for doors, or the like.

The eld to which the'present invention pertains is by no means new. For. many years, coin controlled locks have been in use in public toilets, lavatories, bath houses, and the like; and those locks have been,4 broadly, quite successful. However, the locks which have been in use heretofore have been subject to defects of Various types; and it is the primary object of the present invention to provide, in mechanisms of the character here under discussion, means for positively preventing the actuation of such locks by slugs, particularly of the perforated type which are in common use for various purposes. More specically, it is the primary object of the present invention lto provide a slug-ejector mechanism so constructed as to eject from a coin-controlled device any slug which would otherwise be effective to actuate the device, but which is formed with a perforation or with a sharp declivity in itsface, or which is made of relatively soft materiaL'such as cardboard or the like.

To the accomplishment of the `above and related objects, my invention may be embodied in l the forms illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and lthat change may be made in the specific constructions illustrated and described, so long as'the scope of the appended claims is not violated.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an assembly plate upon which the parts of the lock of the present invention are assembled, with most of thek lock mechanism removed therefrom; l

Fig. 2 is a similar view after the assembly of further elementsof the organization;

Fig. 3 is a similar view of the complete lock mechanism;

Fig. 4isatop plan view of the lockmechanism;

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view thereof;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation seen from the lefthand side of Fig. 3 ;V and Fig. '7 is a side elevation seen from the righthand side of Fig. 3,the lock beingv shown mounted upon a fragment of. a door. Referringf more particularly to .the drawings, in Fig. 1 we khaveshown the assembly plate 20 upon which the lock mechanism isA buil-tA up; Yokes 2i and 22 are suitably secured' to .the-A assembly plate near the top-thereof, said yokes being formed with U-shaped portions 23 and 2d in which is guided a latch bar 26, slidably mounted upon theassembly plateLZll.

The latch bar 2li is normally held in projected posi-tion by a. spring 3l connected at one endto a plate 32 suitably secured to the assembly plate, and at its opposite end to a Cotter pin 33,l secured in the latch bar `25. As isclearly shown inFig. 4, the rearward surface of the latch bar is cut away as at 34 to provide a space between the latch bar and the assembly plate 20 intermediate the ends of the. latch bar. Y 1

Received in` said space yand adapted to engage the right-hand endV of the space 34, as viewed in Fig. 1, is the end of a back tumbler lever 35 pivotally secured to the assembly plate 2D by a screw 316.

iAv screw 46. is formed with an intermediate shaft portion upon which is journal mounted `a'coin pawl ffll,v said pawl being spaced from the assembly plate 20 by a collar 48. (see Fig. 7).. The nose lig of said pawI is notched as vat 5l to.v form two sharp edges and52,1nost clearly illus- -,trated in Figs. 1 and 2 for a purpose which will appear hereinafter. A cotter pin Y5S passes through. the lever il toV support one .end ofA a spring 5i, the function of which. is normally lto hold the pawl il in the positionillustrated in Figs. 1, 2,' and 3. The rear side of the pawl 4T carries a stop screw 55' which, inthe illustrated' position of said pawl, engages against. a member 56 carried by the plate ZU'toliInit movement of the pawl underthe influence of the spring 5E;

A post 63, stati'onaril'y mounted ,onv the assembly platefZ, is bifurcated adjacent its, forward end, `and a pin 6'4 traverses the bifurcated portion ofV said post to forma journal'mounti'ng for a forward coin supporting arml.' A second post 66' islikewise bifurcated at` its outer end 'toguide the oscillating movement of saidv coin supporting arm v` and a spring 6.1 is secured at its opposite endsV to Cotter pins `respectivjel'ycarried by said arm 65' and said post. Gato urge 'thejfree endV of the arm 65 rearwardly toward .the assemblyv plate 20 and into contact with the base of the kerf between the furcations of the post 66'. Said arm 65, together with a stationary arm 68`,spaced from ythe arm by a distance somewhat-less. than the diameter of the coinjintended toV operate the lock, but. greater thanlthe diameter ofianycoin ofi less value, is 'Istati'o'narily vcarried bytliejpost 616 just in front of the lever 35. As will appear from the following description, the arms 65 and B8 cooperate to support a coin during the movement ot the vparts necessary ,tor release. the` -lock for authorizedpelraton. e, .Y

Projecting forwardly from the front face of the visual indicator plate |32, formed with a coin slot |33, and carrying the legends |34 and |35.

Struck up from the flange |39 of plate |32, as isl most clearlyshown in-Figs.. 3 and '1, 4is a perpendicularly zprojecting-ear |40 uponrwhich is threadedly mounted a screw |4| formed to prolatch bar 26 is a flange 69, most clearly illustratedgawide a journal mounting for an ejector arm |42 in Figs. l, 2, and 4, for a purpose which' willappear hereinafter.

The front tumbler 81 comprises'a barrel jour-,10

nailed upon the projecting end of. a shaft39 jour-f nalled in the plate 20, said-barrelca'rryinglat' its 1 forward end, a plug 88, heldl againstrotation with respect to the tumbler, and formed with a kerf 89. Said tumbler comprises; also a' plate por-v tion 90 substantially parallel .withr the assembly,` plate 20.

The tumbler 81 further stantially perpendicular to the portion'SU and i whichmay'be reierredto as an oscillable coin receiver. Intermediate its ends, the .arm I 0| is formed-on its right-handsurface, with a, socket |03 'defining a' downwardly and Vforwardly facing shoulder |04. AIt willbe seen that, upon clockwise movement of the Vtumbler I81, the base of the socket |03 willl come into contact with the nose 49 of the'rpawl 41, and that an attemptvto con-` `tinue such movement 0f the arm |0| will cause which, at its free end, carries a pin |43 project ingthrough the slot |24 in the ejector body H5.

A linger. |45 on said arm |42 provides an anchorageffor onev end of a' spring |44, the opposite end of which isanchored to a finger. |46 projecting Y downwardly'irom''the flange |39, whereby said comprises a .ftangen 'Si' tially projecting arm portion |0| which is-sub.

the edge 50 of said pawl to slide up .into contact .30

with Vthe shoulder- |04. A headed brass pin |05 lis positioned immediately beyond theV shoulder |04 so that, if in any' wayV the paw] should escape the shoulder |04, the pawl edge 50 will vengage said pin head |05. Either of theseengagements will, Y of course, prevent further i clockwise `move- Vment of the arm |0|; and either of those engagements will,of course, take place before the'f'end of the arm |0| comes into operative Contact with the ange 69 on the latch bar 25.

` The various sharp edges and shoulders on the pawl and on the arm |0| are provided for" the 'purpose of penetrating or chewingup any relatively'sof-t material, suchas wood, cardboard; or 'the 1ike,1which may be'v inserted into the lookin an effort to actuate the same without depositing 'the required coin.4 Aspring ||0 resilientlyholds the tumbler 01Y in the position illustrated in Fig. 2.

A spacer post'l |4 `(see Fig. 4) is ormed'at rits I, :outer end to provide a journal mounting for one 'end' ||5 of an ejector body `I I6. Said post H4 is bored to pass 'a' screw ||1`which threadedly en'- gages the assembly plate 0V to mount said post ||`4 and the ejector body ||6 on said assembly plate 20.' The ejectorbody H5, as is clearly; shown in Figsfl and '1, comprises Vparallel spaced parts joined by aligned rings |8 and I0 in which yis reciprocab-lyV mountedfan ejectorv pin 420.1' A Apin |12|` traverses said' ejector pin |20 at'a'point arm |42 is resiliently held against counterclockwise. ernia/'ernennt f.. As is mostclearly illustrated inv Fig. 1, the

' flange 30 is formed with an aperture |41 through `whichprojects the curved end of the coin-carrying arm 65; and it is to be noted that the aperture |41 is large enough to permit lateral shifting of said end of the arm 65 toward the left, as Viewed in Fig. '1, against the tendency of the spring 61 (Figs. 5 and 6). In alignment with the ejector pin':|20, the flange |30 is formed with a slot |48; andtheV arm |0| may be formed with a shallow groove |43 aligned with Ithe slot |48. The ejector pin l20operates through said slot |48.

Y The above described mechanism, 'assembled upon the plate 20, maybe secured to the outer surface of-a door panel |61 in the manner illustrated in Fig. '1, and an operating handle 40 projecting Vthrough the inner-surface of the door to operate the shaft 39; and a suitable casing or housing (not shown) may be secured in placeto 'enclose the lock mechanism. With the parts in the positions illustrated in Fig. 3, and with the casing in place, the coin slot |33 will be in registry with a suitable slot in the enclosing casing. 'If a coin of proper denomination is now inserted 0 through the slot |33, it will drop into the'space intermediateits ends" and forms Van abutment "50 for'one'end of asprng |22, the opposite V'end of which abuts the ringlY |8; The pin |2Icooper; ates'with the ring ||9 to limit movementvof the ejector pin '|20 under `the inuence of theV spring T |22. "Thefreefend |23 of the ejector'pin' |2'0l`i's 55 greatly reduced insize to form Va; small nose, `and is sharp,'ias is clearly'indicatedl in Fig. 2." The 'ejector bodyv ||6 is formed, beneath the ejector pin 20, with a slot, |24, Afor a purpose later to 'be :70

between-the fiange |39 and the arm |0I, and will 'be supported therein upon the arms 65 and 68. A suitableoperating handle (not shown) projecting through the outer cover or housing and engaging the kerfV 89 may nowbe rotated in a-clock wise direction to rotate the'tumbler-81 and Vits arm 10|. Thatmover'nent will immediately move the slot |`33out ofregistry with the casing slot. VDue to the great degree ot difference in lever arms between the parts associatedl with-the oppositeI ends of the arm |42,a very slight'degree o i "movement of the 'armn |0|-and plate |32 will cause a rapid movement of the ejector bodyV H6 in'a counterclockwise direction about its pivot 'screwl |1. The sharp end |23 of the ejector pin |20 will :thusi be Vraked rapidly downwardly, through the slot |48,` across'theface ofthe coin; and said pin is so positioned, relativetothe arms |A and E8, thatV its'movement isY across an' exact diameter Yof the^coin `*The strengftho'f thespring n|22 is such that, Aiii-therendY |23 of the pin |20 encounters no sharp obstruction onV the face ofthe coin, it will,l asjsuggestedfabove; merely rake across the face'of rthe coin without aiect'ing the other partsof the mechanism; and'saidpinwill be swung pastv thecenter of the coin, and nearly to the lowerl periphery 'ofY the coin, beforeV the coin comes intocontacty withfthenose of the y Slugs of the type used injcon'nection with slot machines areI 4frequently dropped l into the coin slots'of `locks of :the characterhere under-consideration. Such slugs are'vv :universally formed with' central-'-periorationsi-- 'I 'hlejjpresent mechavl'|3l lpivotally securing to'said plateportion 90 a nismisl so designed land proportioned that the end V[23V of the ejector pin .will Vifi-rst. 'come into contact with thefelement-dropped intol the coin slot. at a point slightly above the center thereof. If, aslit rakes. across the face of a slug dropped into the coin slot, the pointed end |23 of the pin i211 encounters al perforation, iitwill drop intothat perforation; and, as it moves downwardly, it will carry the slug with it, camming the arm 65 to the left, asl viewed in Fig. 7, and thereby forcing the slug out of the space. be tween the arm |06 andthe flange L39, to permit thepawl llltofdropinto the socket. |103 to prevent further movement of the armfllz. 1

However, iii atrue coin has been' used, the: pin |211 willi, las: stated above, rake harmlesslyrpast the coin. The coin, supported upon the arms 65: and 68; covers` the socket 103;; and cams theV nose of the -pawl il upwardly, against the tendency ci the spring 54,. thus permitting the tumbler 81 to continue its movement. The nose of the pawl drops off the coin just after the pawl nose. passes the lower edge of the pin |05; and just after the pawlV nose drops off the coin, the coin moves past the end of the arm 65, and so drops into a suitable receiver. Nothing now prevents further clockwise movement of the armvllll, which now comes into contact with the flange 68, so. that continued movement ofthe arm lill! retracts the latch bar 26 to permit the door to' be opened.`

Weclaim as our invention.

I. In a coin controlled mechanism including a coin receiver to transport a coin from a receiving position to anormal discharge position, and having coin supporting lmeans associated therewith, means including a small nosed element for discharging certain slugs. which may bein said receiver prior to thevreceiver reaching said normal discharge position, and speed increasing leverage means connecting saidv receiver with said CEE ile'

element to actuate said element through a large 40 range by a slight range of movement of said coin receiver, whereby saidy element is caused: to move with a velocity greater than that' of sai'd receiver and to sweep across the surface of an obj-ect supported by said coin receiver, if it be a coin, or to discharge said object from the receiver, if it be a slug formed with a sharp contour variation on its face engaged by said element.

2. In a coin controlled mechanism including a coin receiver to transport a coin from a receiving position to a normal discharge position, and having coin supporting means associated therewith, means including a small nosed element for discharging certain slugs which may be in said receiver prior to the receiver reaching said normal discharge position, and speed increasing leverage means connecting said receiver with said element to actuate said element through a large range by a slight range of movement of said coin receiver, whereby said element is caused to move with a velocity greater than that of said receiver and to sweep across the surface of an object supported by said receiver, if it be a coin, or to discharge said object from the receiver, if it -be a slug formed with a sharp contour variation on its face engaged by said element, and means resiliently pressing the nose of said element against such object during such movement of said element.

3. In a coin controlled mechanism including a coin receiver to transfer a coin from a receiving position to a normal discharge position, and having coinl supporting means associated therewith, means including a small nosed element for discharging certain slugs which may be in said receiver priorl to the' receiver reaching? said. normal discharge position, and speed. increasing leverage means connecting said receiver with said element to actuate said element through a large range by a. slight range of` movement of said coin receiver whereby said' element is caused to move with a velocity greater than that of said receiver and to sweep across the surface of an object vsupported by said coin receiver, if it be aY coin,v or to discharge.- said object from the receiver, if itbe a slugformed with a sharp contour variation on. its face engaged by said element', the length of they line of movement of. the nose of said ele'- ment. while in position tov contact said object being at least equal to one-half the dimension of suc-h object along that line.

4. In a coin controlled mechanism, ya pair of spaced members adapted to support an object, means cooperable with said members and movable to shift suchA object between a receivingstation and a functioning station, one of said members being movable away from the other, means resiliently holding said one member in a position spaced from theother by a given distance selected to be less than the diameter of a given coin, a spring-pressed feeler mounted in `the path of said object, and means for moving said feeler rapidly, while in contact with a face of an object supported on said membersY and on said rst named` means, across said face in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane oi movement of saidone member to. reject any suich object having .a sharpA declivity on itssaid face.

5. Iny a. coin controlled mechanism including a pair: of spaced: elements adapted to supporta. coin of predetermined diameter, said elementsv being normally spaced apart a distance less than the diameter or such coin but being separable to release such coin, and means cooperable with said. elements kand movable with respect thereto to shift an object while supported' on said elements. Abetween a receiving station and a functioning station, spring means resiliently resisting separation of said elements, and means automatically movable across the face of an object supported by said elements and operable to detect any sharp declivity on said face and to force an object having such a declivity to separate said elements and to force the object therebetween.

6. In a coin controlled mechanism, an oscillable coin receiver, a slug ejector mechanism associated with said coin receiver and comprising a body mounted in the path of movement of said receiver for oscillation on an axis transverse to the path of movement of said receiver and projecting from said axis toward said receiver, said body being formed with a track elongated in the line of movement of said receiver, and an arm pivotally secured to said receiver and provided with means operatively associated with said track for swinging said body rapidly about its axis upon initiation of movement of said receiver toward said axis.

r1. In a coin controlled mechanism, an oscillable coin receiver, a slug ejector mechanism associated with said coin receiver and comprising a body mounted in the path of movement of said receiver for oscillation on an axis transverse to the path of'movement of said receiver and projecting from said axis toward said receiver, said body lbeing formed with a track elongated in the line of movement of said receiver, an arm pivotally secured'to said receiver and provided with means operatively associated with said track, a plunger reciprocably mounted in said body and projecting toward said receiver, and spring means resiliently .biasingesaid plunger against mpvementrelative tosaidbody away from said receiver.-

. 18..,111 a coin controlled mechanism ,an,osci1f, lableY-coin receiver, a Vslugffejector mechanism as, sociated Withsaid coin receiver andcomprising abody mounted inthe ypath of movement of said receiver for oscillation on .an axis transverseto the path omovement of said receiver andprojecting from said axis toward said receiver, said body being, formed with a track elongated in the line `o1 movement of said receiver, an arm pivot-v ally securedto said receiver andV provided with means, operatively ,associated with said track,4 a plunger recprocablyfmounted in said bodyA and projecting toward said receiver, and spring means resiliently biasingsaid plunger against movement relativeito saidbody awayV from said receiver,

said pliirigerbeingV formed at its end adjacent said receiver ,with a nose` oi .reduced cross section. A 9.111.acoin.controlled mechanism, an oscillableicoinreceiver; having coin supporting means associatedtherewitn, a slug ejector mechanism associated. wit-h said coinreceiver .and including a body mounted in the path of .movement of said receiver forl oscillation on an axis transverse to Vthe path of, movement of saidreceiver and projecting from said `axis toward said receiver, said body being formed with a track elongated inthe line of movement of said lreceiver, and an armpivotallysecuredto saidreceiver at a point above` the level 4of `the track and provided with means operativelyassociated rwith, said track and normally at the end of the track farthest removed fromsaid receiver, whereby, upon initiation of movement of the said `receiver toward said axis, said'body-will-be rapidly swung upon its axis, said body having means associated therewith for engagingan Vobject supported by said receiverv a body mounted in the path of movement of said receiver for oscillation on an axis transverse to the path of movement of said receiver andA projecting from, said axis toward said receiver, said lbody being formed with a track elongated in the line of movement` of said receiver, an arm pivotallysecured to said receiver` at a point above the level of the track and'provided with means operatively associated withsaid track and normally at the Yend of the track farthest removed from said receiver, whereby, upon initiation of movement of said receiver toward said axis, said body will be rapidly swung upon its axis, a plunger reciprocably mountedin said body and projecting toward said receiver, and spring means resiliently biasing said plunger against movement relative to said body away from said receiver, said plunger being engageable with an Vobject supported by said receiver during such swinging of said body to eject such object from the receiver, if it-be a slug formed with a recess in its face engaged by such means. y

11. In a coin controlled mechanism, an oscillable coin receiver, a slug ejector mechanism associated with said coin receiver and including a bodytmountedin the path of movement of said receiver for oscillation on an axis transverse to the path of movement of said receiver and projectingfrom said axis toward said receiver, said body being formed withla. track velongated inthe line of movement of said receiver, an arm pivotally secured to said receiver at a point above the level of the track and providedwith means operatively associated with said track and normallyat the end of the track farthest removed from said receiver, whereby, upon initiation of movement of said receiver toward said axis, said body will be rapidly swung upon its axis, a plunger recipro-` cably mounted in saidbody and projecting toward fillsaid receiver, and spring means resiliently biasing said plunger against movement relative tol said body away from said receiver, said plunger being formed at its endY adjacent said receiver with a nose of reduced cross section.

' HARRY 4L. YNEER.,

CLIFFORD H. WASSON. RAYMONDL. 

